Velotec Elite Women’s Clothing

Lori Beers

A review of Velotec Elite Women’s Clothing.

There are a number of things I look for in cycling gear. Without getting into what a company means when they say their fabric is “Superroubaix Endurance”, or that a chamois is fully equipped with “Elastic Interface Technology”, lets instead talk about how Velotec Elite Women’s Clothing actually performs.

Velotec Elite ladies bib tights and long sleeved jersey

Quick story: I had to ride through the most typical British weather to pick this gear up (great ride, albeit quite wet and a bit chilly). A perfect opportunity to change out of my soggy kit and into this Velotec kit for my ride back; heads up – not waterproof!

This is the first time I’ve worn anything from Velotec, though I’m quite familiar with the brand as they’re well known for customisable kits. The Women’s Elite kit is quite sleek – as mentioned immediately by a group of cyclists at the cafe I had stopped at to change. Score 1 for Velotec!

As for any clothing I wear, some of the most important things I focus on are comfort, affordability and style/design – though not always in that order.

Comfort

Though I may not know what it is, there is certainly something to their Elastic Interface Technology in the chamois. It might possibly be the most comfortable chamois pad I’ve ever ridden with. Velotec dubs it as ‘anatomical’. Maybe my problem is that I need to stop buying men’s bib shorts? In any case, I felt like I could ride for hours comfortably; the word that came to mind as I was peddling back was luxurious.

The bib-tights were very comfortable, but a female friendly ‘comfort break’ option would be nice!

Both pieces, size small, fit very well, though I like to think I’m more of a small-medium than a small-small (i.e. on a really cold day, someone a bit smaller than me may be able to fit a base layer under the top if needed). Both pieces are cut clearly with a woman’s body in mind.

Female specific chamois means many pain free miles

As far as practicality goes, this kit would be perfect for cooler weather, as it’s lined with a super soft mesh lining. Their Touchdry fabric used for both pieces is to keep the body more thermoregulated, and I’ll vouch for that claim.

Velotec’s polka-dot design was a hit with other riders

I was even comfortable as the temperature rose to a balmy 15 degrees (which usually with a kit like this would be quite warm). The ventilation was great, but it still kept me comfy.

Affordability

I appreciate the cost efficiency of Velotec in general. They don’t claim to be super exclusive, so coming in at about £50 for the jersey and £60 for the tights, this pair won’t break the bank

Style/Design

I love the polka dot design on the jersey, and like I said, within moments of my debut I received compliments on how it looked. It’s a nice looking kit, but I did have some minor ‘this-could-be-better’ thoughts with the design aspect of it.

Perfect for cooler rides, the Touchdry fabric keeps you warm and dry

As a female, I notice the lack of options for gear (hence why I own so many men’s bib shorts). Velotec produces a minimal amount of women’s gear, and this is the only option for their cold weather road gear. A good way to improve would be to cater to the issue we all face – that is, when nature calls.

There have been plenty of times where I’ve refused to use the loo and held it just so that I wouldn’t need to take off my entire kit to go – serious pain. Either a better design with the straps, or include a new bib tights option with a clasp- the way of the future!

A fourth, zipped security pocket would be a nice option

With the top, I think it’s necessary to have at least one small little zip pocket so that I don’t need to worry about my phone, credit cards, cash, whatever it is, flying out when I hit a bump.

Overall, I’m definitely no longer dreading the chilly weather because I know this kit has certainly been made for a cosy ride.

Velotec